util to import remote modules. can be used with gists, for example.

remote_import.py

import tempfile
import requests

from importlib.machinery import SourceFileLoader

def import_remote_module(module_name, url):
    """
    import a file from a URL, given by `url`
    ---
    returns the imported module
    ---
    example usage:
    >>> mymodule = import_remote_module("mymodule", "https://the.url/where/the/file/lives.py")
    >>> mymodule.some_function_on_the_module()
    """

    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as f:
        f.write(requests.get(url).content)
        f.seek(0)

        return SourceFileLoader(module_name, f.name).load_module()